Design of decentralized robust controllers for multizone space heating systems

Temperature control of multizone environmental spaces is studied. A bilinear model of a multizone space heating (MZSH) system is developed. The MZSH system is acted upon by constant unknown disturbances and step changes in the desired set-points. Robust decentralized controllers are designed with linear and nonlinear models, using two different methods based on optimization of quadratic performance criteria. In each case, the output responses of the resulting closed-loop bilinear system are examined. Simulation results showing the regulation properties of the decentralized and centralized controllers are presented. The results show that the system performance with decentralized control is very close to the performance of the system with centralized control. A decentralized controller is also designed for the bilinear model based on minimizing not only the output error and energy input, but also a measure of sensitivity to parameter variations. Simulation results for the corresponding bilinear closed-loop system are presented